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KatieKnopf

LEV121
4/18/2014
PersonalLeadershipProfile
Throughthestudyofthecoursematerialinthisleadershipclassandotherclassesin
differentdepartments,Iwouldpersonallydefineleadershipas
Theabilitytoinfluenceothersin
achievingacommongoal
.Whilethisdefinitiondoesnotincludeastatementdiscussingones
authorityinrelationtotheirleadershipposition,thisideaisintentionallyabsentfrommy
personalleadershipdefinitionbecauseIbelieveverystronglyinthephilosophyoftheemergent
leader.AccordingtoNorthouse,anindividualbecomesanemergentleader
whenothersperceiveanindividualasthemostinfluentialmemberofagrouporan
organization,regardlessoftheindividualstitleTheindividualacquiresemergent
leadershipthroughotherpeopleintheorganizationwhosupportandacceptthat
individualsbehavior(Northouse8).
Asafutureeducator,Ifirmlybelieveinempoweringmystudentstotakeinitiativeintheir
learningandincreatingacommunitybasedclassroom.Withthisphilosophy,theideaofthe
emergentleaderhelpsmystudentstoactupontheinitiativethattheyhaveandallowthemtofeel
thattheycancontributetoshapingtheirclassroomcommunity.Byempoweringmystudents,I
takeontheroleofaservantleader,sothatIcanfocusonmystudentsneedsandhowIcanbest
helpthemintheirlearningprocess.
Whenreflectinguponmyleadershipstyleatthispointinmylife,Icanobjectively
recognizethatthereareseveralareasinmyleadershipapproachthatIneedtoevaluateand
strengtheninordertoimproveuponmyleadershipabilities.WhenlookingovertheLTQsurvey
thatmyfriendsandpeersassessedmeonatthebeginningoftheterm,theareasthatIwasscored
thelowestonwasfirstfriendliness,thenatiebetweentrustworthy,sensitive,and


KatieKnopf
LEV121
4/18/2014
empathic.Whilemyselfassessmentintheseareaswerehigherthanmyaveragerating,Ican
understandwhymypeersgavemetheseratingsanditactedasabitofawakeupcallforhow
significantlymyactionsandbehaviorscanimpactthewayIamperceivedbyothers.
Whilemostofmyfriendswouldlabelmeasoutgoingandenergetic,itactuallytakes
meawhiletowarmuptonewpeoplewhenIamplacedinanewenvironmentwithindividuals
Ihavenotmetyetordonothavealotofexperiencewith.Ibattlewithanxiety,sowhenImeet
newpeopleIamalwaysintimidatedtointroducemyselfbecauseIamconcernedandworried
aboutwhattheywillthinkofme,howtheywilljudgeme,andscrewingupmyfirstimpression.
Becauseofmyworries,IknowthatIcanseemdistantandcoldwhenIaminitiallyplacedintoa
newsituation.ManagingmyanxietyhasbeensomethingthatIhavepersonallybeenworkingon
forthepastyearandbeenabletomakesomeimprovementson,andasIcontinuemy
commitmenttoimprovingandmanagingmymentalhealthIknowitissomethingthatIwillbe
abletoimproveuponinmyleadershipskillsaswell.
Theotherareasinwhichmypeersgavemealowassessmenttrustworthy,sensitive
andempathicIbelievearealsotiedtomyanxietyandcanbeimprovedoncemyfriendliness
isstrengthened.AsIcontinuetoworkonmyselfconfidenceandfriendlinesswithinmy
relationships,theotheraspectswillalsobeabletofallintoplace.Oncemypeersand
followersareabletoseemeasafriendlyindividual,IbelievethatIwillbeabletobeableto
displaymynaturalabilitieswiththeothertraitsaswell.However,Irecognizethatallofthese
changesarecontingentuponmyselfrecognizingthesebehaviorswithinmyselfandactivelyand
consciouslyworkingonimprovingeachofthesegivenareas.
Formyactionplan,Iwillfocusonimprovingmyownqualitiesoffriendlinessand


KatieKnopf
LEV121
4/18/2014
approachability.AsIstatedearlier,thisisthetraitthatIscoredthelowestonwiththeLTQ
survey,andIbelievethatonceIfocusonimprovingthistraitIwillbeabletoimproveuponthe
othertraitsandareasthatneedimprovementupon.Iwillpracticeimprovingmyfriendliness
towardsothersatmycampusjob,withmycoworkers,mymanagersandourcustomers,along
withpracticingimprovingmyfriendlinesswhileparticipatingwiththestudentorganizationin
whichIamageneralboardmember.Iplanonworkingtowardsimprovingmyfriendliness
usingavarietyofstrategies.Thefirstandmostimportantstrategybeingtobreakoutofmy
comfortzoneandswallowmyinhibitionwhenmeetingandtalkingwithnewpeople.Iamgoing
tochallengemyselftointroducingmyselftoatleastonenewpersonatthemeetingsofthe
studentorganizationeachweeksoIcanconsciouslyandspecificallyfocusonpracticingand
improvingmypeopleskillswhenplacedintonewsituations.Ihopebyconsciouslypracticing
andforcingmyselftomeetnewpeopleIcanworkthroughtheanxietythatIfacewhenplaced
intonewsituationsandfocusonbeingasfriendlyaspossibletomakenewconnectionswith
others.ThesecondstrategythatIplanonimplementingintomylifeistakinginitiativeatmy
campusjobandaskingmymanagersifthereisanythingspecificallytheywouldlikemetodo
duringeachofmyshifts.Whilethecommunicationatmyjobisnotgreat,asastudentmanager
IfeelthatIneedtotakemoreinitiativeandresponsibilityinimprovingthisaspectofourwork
environmentandhopefullybydoingso,Icanworkonmypeopleskillsandtrytohaveamore
positiveandfriendlyapproachtomyleadershipstylewhileatwork.
Byconsciouslyworkingonimprovingmypeopleskillsandspecificallytryingtobe
friendlytowardsothers,Ihopetostrengthenmyleadershipskillsasawholeandthereforebe
abletobecomeamoreeffectiveleaderwithinmyleadershiprolesatthispointinmycareer.

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